To the Stage
by blowers-daughtr
Summary: The Time Dragon Clock comes to Shiz.
1. Chapter 1

It began as a low hum as the news spread of The Clock of the Time Dragon's arrival at the outskirts of Shiz. All of the students had heard of it, how terrible it was, how if wickedness were to become concentrated into one object, The Time Dragon Clock would be that object. But no one at Shiz could attest to having actually seen the contraption, nor did the devious students who ventured to the edge of campus to see the thing know what to expect.

Elphaba was among those who crept from their dormitories to the clearing in the forest where the Clock currently resided. Elphaba often questioned the nature of what was good and what was wicked, and she often disagreed with those who took it upon themselves to decide which was which. The Clock of the Time Dragon had been declared Wicked by many, and Elphaba was curious as to why they had deemed it so.

Galinda was also among those in search of the Clock. Her friends had persuaded her. The fact that the Clock was so taboo, so off-limits, made the idea of the Clock very alluring, and Galinda had to admit after having The Clock of the Time Dragon explained to her (by classmates less than qualified to describe it), she was a bit curious. Had she known what the Clock was really like, had someone other than Shenshen—who only knew about the Clock from stories of a friend of a friend's—Galinda might not have stolen away from her dormitory that night.

"Did you have any trouble sneaking past the green bean?" Milla enquired when Galinda met her and Shenshen beneath a stairwell in Crage Hall.

"No," Galinda replied, "curiously, she wasn't there."

Galinda did not relay to her friends why she found her peculiarly-colored roommate's absence from the room curious. She did not disclose that in the 3 or 4 months she and Elphaba had shared a room, she had grown strangely fond of Elphaba and her odd habits. Galinda had grown used to the schedule Elphaba kept: she rose at 6 in the morning, departed for classes at 7, and was always at her desk with her legs folded beneath her at an awkward angle at 6 in the evening when Galinda turned in from a day of studies and socializing.

But on that particular evening Elphaba hadn't been in her usual jackknifed position at her desk. Galinda had gone about her own routine of changing out of her day clothes, combing out her hair, and attempting to study, but found it difficult to do so without Elphaba's presence. Despite the fact that the two rarely spoke, Galinda found something comforting in molding her own evening routine around Elphaba's; when Elphaba finished her reading and took to the bathroom to bathe it was time for Galinda to change into her nightgown. When Elphaba emerged from the bathroom it was time for Galinda to seat herself at her vanity and comb out her hair, and when Elphaba slipped beneath the covers of her bed it was time for Galinda to do so as well.

"Curious," Shenshen said, "yes, that is one word to describe her."

"Might we refrain from making snide remarks about my roommate?"

"Dear Galinda, you are just too good." Milla cooed as she petted Galinda's shoulder.

"Oh, no I'm not." Galinda blushed.

"Honestly, I don't know how you stand it."

Galinda merely shrugged her shoulders, and the trio set off away from Crage Hall.

*

Throngs of spectators, primarily students, surrounded the stage of the Time Dragon Clock. Galinda was grateful for having taken the time to curl her hair and freshen her makeup before setting out, considering the amount of students she knew and recognized.

Galinda and her friends made their way through the crowd to as close to the odd half-wagon-half-puppet-theater as they could, staring eagerly and expectantly at the empty stage.

With the raising of the curtain, the theater suddenly came to life and the crowd quieted. A pair of miniature twin beds slid, one from each end of the stage, to the center where they stopped a few inches shy of one another, one of the beds with frills and pink linens, the other covered with a drab gray blanket.

Two wooden figurines appeared, one adorned in a pink tutu with yellow yarn for hair, the other with skin the color of grass, clothed in a simple navy blue cloth. The likeness was apparent, and those who had spotted Galinda in the crowd couldn't help but steal glances at her. Heat rose to Galinda's cheeks—not that she minded the attention—although how the puppeteers knew what color bedding she and Elphaba used was slightly unnerving.

The puppet in pink pranced around the other puppet in circles, reaching up and tousling its yellow hair with its tiny wooden hand. The yellow-haired puppet neared its companion and bent at the waist, thrusting its ample pinkish bosom in the face of the black-haired puppet seated on the bed. The crowd laughed.

The yellow-haired figure let out a small, "hmmph" in response to having received no reaction from other puppet, and sat down on the gray bed beside the green figurine. The puppet clearly in Galinda's likeness inched closer to the puppet representing Elphaba, and then without warning the pink puppet was atop the green, groping at the bottom of the green puppet's frock and thrusting a wooden hand between the green puppet's legs.

The green puppet attempted to right itself, but the assault continued as the pink puppet's face attacked the green puppet's neck and chest. The green puppet succumbed to the pink puppet's advances, and the two began to noisily rock against each other in a strange sort of embrace. They did this in various positions—mouth to mouth, breast to breast, mouth the breast, until they moved, the puppet in Galinda's likeness lying across the puppet of Elphaba's likeness such that their mouths met each other's groins.

The scene ended with the pink puppet sitting, legs spread on the gray bed while the green puppet thrust its hand up the pink puppet's skirt until the pink puppet began to convulse and shake, crying out and clinging to the green puppet.

The curtain fell, and the crowd was silent. A few students managed to steal a few glances at Galinda, who seemed to have stopped breathing. Her eyes were wide as saucers and her mouth hung slightly open.

"Let's go," mouthed Milla to Shenshen. They linked their arms with Galinda and pulled the stunned girl through the crowd. The three didn't speak as they made their way back to Crage Hall.

Elphaba was sitting on her bed when Galinda returned. The green girl studied her roommate solemnly.

"Are you okay?" Elphaba enquired. "You're slightly pale."

Galinda didn't speak. Her back hit the door and she slid to the ground as tears filled her eyes.

"Miss Galinda," Elphaba tried to soothe, but her words were lost on the blonde, who began to sob loudly into her hands.

"Miss Galinda, no one will take it seriously."

"You were there?" Galinda continued to sob. She lifted her face and stared blearily at Elphaba. "You saw it?"

"I—yes, I saw. But they're just puppets. Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it?" Galinda braced herself against the door and stood, "Don't worry about it?!" Her voice rose in pitch and in volume.

"You mean to tell me this doesn't upset you?"

"No, not particularly."

"Oh, Miss Elphaba, no matter how hard I try I'll never understand you!" Galinda flopped onto her bed and groaned.

The green girl returned her attention to her book and the pair did not speak.

"I don't understand. How did they know what our room looked like?"

"They may have ventured to guess that your bedding would match your wardrobe, and that mine is the default bedding of all the Shiz dormitories." Elphaba volunteered.

"And then they ventured to guess that I would—that we would—that we would do…_that_?!"

Galinda began to sob again, "Oh, the perversion! My entire life is over!"

Elphaba, though somewhat disturbed by the scene presented on the Clock's stage earlier that night, rolled her eyes.

"Really, Galinda, I don't know why you're taking it so seriously."

"What if people start to think things? Things about us that aren't true! No, we must set the record straight. We have to tell everyone that the perversion displayed on stage this evening is completely untrue. Will you stand by me and do this, Elphaba?"

"Acknowledging it bothers you will only generate more suspicion. People may wonder why, if it isn't true, we're trying so hard to cover it up. And if we have nothing to hide, it shouldn't bother us."

"Well I certainly have nothing to hide." Galinda asserted. "What would I be hiding, anyway? Things like that have never even crossed my mind!"

Elphaba merely nodded, and returned to her book.

Galinda felt faint. Her face was flushed and she was out of breath. Her eyes were raw from crying. She dragged her tired body off of the bed and crossed the room to her closet where she retrieved her silk nightgown.

As she pulled her blouse over her head she couldn't help but feel Elphaba's eyes on her back. Galinda tried to shake the feeling, but as she undid the clasp of her bra and let it fall to the floor she couldn't help but imagine that Elphaba staring at her breasts. Galinda crossed her arm across her chest and turned to look at her roommate, was not paying her any attention.

Galinda sighed heavily, and slid her gown over her head.

"Goodnight Miss Elphaba."

"Sleep well, Miss Galinda."

"I shall certainly try."


	2. Chapter 2

"It's just like her, you know." Shenshen explained over lunch. "You live with her, you of all people should know that."

"Please, don't." Galinda sighed as she massaged her temples. "I don't want to talk about Elphaba."

"What Shenshen is trying to say is that she and I did a lot of thinking last night when we got back." said Milla as gently as possible.

"We know exactly what last night was about." Shenshen continued. "It's Elphaba's fault. She was there, you know. She was at the Time Dragon Clock last night when that dreadfully repulsive display occurred."

"Okay, and what does that mean?" Galinda asked, trying her best not to lose her patience.

"It means she put them up to it. 'Them' being whoever runs the Time Dragon Clock. Elphaba must have spoken to them. She must have told them to put on a show like that." Milla said.

"It's just like her," Shenshen repeated, "She's a freak of nature and a pervert. It's not surprising, Galinda, and it's so not fair to you."

"So not fair," echoed Milla.

"For her to embarrass you in such a horrible manner, it's atrocious. We're sorry Galinda. We are. You really should invest more energy in getting a different roommate. Who knows what other horrible things she's capable of?"

"If you'll just…excuse me," Galinda stuttered. "I have a slight headache…I think I'll go lie down."

Galinda checked the time as she hurried away from her friends. She wasn't quite sure what Elphaba would be up to at 1 o'clock; that was lunch hour, and Galinda never saw Elphaba in the cafeteria at lunch—not that Galinda had ever looked. Perhaps Elphaba took her lunch outside. Galinda couldn't help but cast a glance at every bench in the courtyard between the cafeteria and Crage Hall.

As Galinda walked past groups of students she felt their eyes upon her, heard their whispers, sensed their judgment. If they hadn't been at the Time Dragon that night, surely someone who had been had spread the word.

Galinda walked more quickly, desiring only to be in her room, tucked beneath her comforter, and hopefully asleep. She was to be in class in fifteen minutes, but decided she'd much rather be asleep, all of her classmates were behaving in the same way the group of students she'd passed were—staring, whispering, mocking.

At last, Galinda reached her room, and was surprised to find the door unlocked. Elphaba was inside, pouring over an old dusty book as she ate her lunch.

"You don't like the sunshine, Elphie?"

Elphaba raised her eyes to meet Galinda's and cocked an eyebrow. "Elphie?"

"Oh—" a tinge of pink crept to Galinda's cheeks, "I'm sorry, I—do you mind it?"

The green girl smiled, if a quirk of one corner of her lips could be considered a smile. "It's a bit perky. Does that mean you're in a better mood than you were last night?"

"Oh, I don't know." Galinda sighed heavily as she sat at the edge of her bed. "People are staring at me, Elphaba, they're staring!"

"They always stare." Elphaba noted. "You haven't noticed how people stare and admire you? It's all rather sickening, really…they look at you and it's as if they've forgotten what to do with themselves, especially that Boq character, he's definitely a starer."

"I don't mean like that. They're whispering about me—about us! And Misses Milla and Shenshen have said the most terrible thing!"

Elphaba did not respond, perhaps because she wasn't interested, or because she knew Galinda would continue anyway.

"They're saying that you did it! That you told whoever puts on that silly dragon-clock puppet show to make puppets of us—of us doing _that_!"

"Well, that's completely ridiculous." Elphaba said flatly.

"I know!" Galinda squeaked. "Believe me, I know…I just...Elphie, what is that horrible thing? How does it work and why did it do that?"

Elphaba raised her head from her book. "Well, I don't know for sure. But I can venture an educated guess. I've been studying the thing ever since it arrived, and all of the shows have followed a similar pattern, all of them except the one last night, of us."

Galinda swallowed hard and nodded her head, unsure whether or not she wanted to hear what Elphaba had to say.

"Okay," Galinda said.

"Basically, it chooses someone in the crowd, and then acts out—"

"Their fantasies?" Galinda wondered as heat rose to her cheeks.

Elphaba had difficulty masking her startled expression. "Not…fantasies. Usually the Clock will depict something that's going on, an affair that is happening or has already happened. But last night's show isn't in line with that pattern, and has left me quite confused."

"I'm quite confused too, Elphie. I don't know what to do or what to think."

Galinda began to cry. She sobbed into her hands, her mascara running black rivers down her rosy cheeks.

"Galinda, no." Elphaba started. "No—no, don't cry."

"I just," Galinda sniffled, "I'm so embarrassed and ashamed."

"Why?" Elphaba asked, her tone as comforting as she could make it.

"Because." Galinda sobbed.

Elphaba moved from her chair to the bed beside Galinda. She stared at the crying girl, unsure if touching her would be a good idea. Elphaba wasn't used to comforting people, but she wanted more than anything to lessen Galinda's crying.

The green girl's hand hovered tentatively above Galinda's shaking shoulder and eventually came to rest there.

Galinda glanced at the girl beside her and then put her head back into her hands.

"Galinda, don't cry." Elphaba began to rub Galinda's back in slow circles, and Galinda wrapped her arms around Elphaba's waist, resting her head against the green girl's chest and finding solace in her arms.

Elphaba stiffened at first, but then relaxed into the pleasant feeling of Galinda's warm body against her.

"There," Elphaba soothed as she gently positioned Galinda so she was sitting upright. "It's not so bad."

Galinda dried her tears with the back of her hand and smiled weakly at her roommate.

"Well," Galinda managed, as a blush colored her cheeks and she attempted to clean her smudged makeup with her hands, "I must look dreadful right about now. Would it be terrible if I missed history class today?"

"I wouldn't advise it." Elphaba replied as she returned to her desk. "I've noticed you seem to be struggling in that subject."

"You have?"

Elphaba's face darkened in something Galinda assumed to be a blush.

"You…" Elphaba didn't meet Galinda's eyes, "…when you're reading your history book you rarely turn the pages."

"It's just so dreadfully boring. And I don't want to have to face any more snickering and whispering behind my back—or, in front of my face, rather. Can't I just stay here?"

"And what will they say if you choose to stay cooped up here with me rather than in class with your friends?"

They're not my friends, Galinda wanted to say. But she held her tongue, and silenced the voice in her head.

"You're right." Galinda sighed. She dragged herself to her vanity and began to clean her face and reapply her makeup.

"Thank you, Elphie." Galinda said as she tied a pale blue ribbon around her golden waves. "For being so good to me. In these past two days I've come to think of you as more than just my roommate. I've come to consider you my friend. And for your friendship, I thank you."

"You're welcome." Elphaba smiled. "Try not to let them bother you. When they realize they can't get a rise out of you it's likely they'll grow tired of pestering you…that's what I've learned."

*

Class proved difficult. The whispers began as a low murmur, soft and quiet and barely audible above the sound of papers shuffling as students found their desks. Galinda felt eyes boring into her, picking her apart and attempting to see inside her brain. The whispers rose to a roar as people began to value gossip over Galinda's feelings.

"It would certainly make sense, now wouldn't it, Boq?" a male voice said with a laugh to the Munchkinlander with the well-known infatuation with Galinda. "She didn't return your advances because she prefers other girls!"

The words stung. The mockery with which they were spoken was crippling and Galinda felt herself freezing and sweating simultaneously.

"Someone has to say something to her," one of the girls was saying, "ask her, just to make sure…"

"Galinda!" a girl Galinda had never spoken to shouted. "Is it true?"

"Of course it isn't true!" Milla shouted back, patting Galinda on the shoulder. But Milla's touch was fleeting, and she jerked her hand back as if Galinda was diseased with something contagious.

Galinda fled her classroom before the lesson began, blood pounding loudly in her ears. She stole away to the bathroom and shut herself in a stall until her breathing slowed and her throat stopped constricting.

She was shaking when she slipped into the dormitory she shared with Elphaba, and her eyes were red.

Elphaba raised her eyes from her the book that sat in her lap.

"Galinda…" the green girl sighed empathetically. She set her book on the bed beside her, an action Galinda interpreted as an invitation. She crossed the room to Elphaba's bed and threw her arms around the green girl's waist.

"I don't understand." Galinda sobbed as she clung to the fabric of Elphaba's dress.

"What don't you understand?" Elphaba asked as she adjusted herself to better accommodate the girl in her lap.

Galinda's crying was muffled in Elphaba's dress, and Elphaba's hands became tangled in Galinda's hair as she rubbed her back.

Galinda stared at Elphaba's skin. She'd always found it fascinating, how very like her own skin it felt but how vastly different it appeared…how radiant, how exotic, how strangely beautiful. And how soft. Galinda's fingers traced shapes on Elphaba's forearm and Elphaba slowed the movements of her hands.

"Your skin." Galinda sighed. She slurred her words as if in a daze. "It's…"

"It's green. I know." Elphaba laughed a little.

"No…" Galinda continued in the same distant, airy tone. "It's soft. And…your veins…"

Galinda sat up and pulled Elphaba's hand into her lap. She traced the lines of Elphaba's palm and the veins of her wrist. "I can't see them but I can feel them, they're raised."

Galinda's fingers moved across the sensitive skin of Elphaba's wrists with a feather-light touch. "When cut you'd bleed like the rest of us. But your skin is so thick."

When Galinda took her eyes off Elphaba's wrist and looked into Elphaba's eyes, she found their faces were nearer to each other than they'd both expected. Elphaba's breath came in shallow bursts, and for the first time, Galinda detected fear in the green girl.

"Sweet Oz…" Galinda breathed. Her hands found Elphaba's jaw, and then the high apples of her cheeks.

"I don't understand how something so beautiful could possibly be wrong." Galinda sighed.

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about..." Elphaba said. Her voice trembled as she spoke.

"You." Galinda's face inched closer to Elphaba's and the green girl distanced herself slightly. "You're beautiful and they don't see it."

The front of Galinda's body was flush against Elphaba's side, and the heat between them flooded Galinda with a feeling of intensity she yearned to replicate. Her hands rested lightly on Elphaba's cheeks. Galinda's eyes were on Elphaba's mouth, and Elphaba's lips were twitching.

Galinda couldn't determine whether her thoughts were her own or if they'd somehow been influenced by the Time Dragon. Was she being swayed by the suggestion made by the Time Dragon's puppets? Was the Time Dragon contraption itself working some sort of dark magic that caused her to desire something she knew she shouldn't desire?

As Galinda studied Elphaba's face and felt Elphaba against her chest and beneath her fingertips, Galinda realized that the magic was Elphaba.

"I've never really…kissed anyone before." Galinda murmured. "I've had boys kiss me, but I never…wanted…Elphaba, would you… can I…?"

"Galinda, I don't think…I don't think that we should—If we do this, people might think—"

Galinda brushed her thumbs across Elphaba's lower lip and Elphaba's mouth fell slightly open.

"So let them think." Galinda sighed. She closed her eyes and her lips met Elphaba's tentatively. They stayed that way until Elphaba's hands came to rest at the swell of Galinda's hips and their mouths opened. Elphaba moved so that their chests came together. Galinda locked her hands behind Elphaba's neck, and their tongues moved against each other.

Galinda sighed when the kiss was broken, and rested her forehead against Elphaba's.

"I don't understand," said Galinda, though there was no trace of trepidation in her tone.

"What don't you understand?" Elphaba asked gently.

"The Time Dragon…how did it know that I…" Galinda's cheeks reddened and peered shyly from beneath long lashes, "I've wanted to do this for a while, Elphie. I felt things about you, for you…had feelings for you, before that thing came and put on that show. I just don't understand why it's so wrong. When I feel so right…"

"Maybe they're wrong. I've found that in some cases, you can't accept limits because someone says they're so. Sometimes you just have to trust yourself and what you feel."

"Elphie?"

"Yes, my sweet?"

Galinda's eyes sparkled as she smiled. "While I find what you're saying vastly interesting and I care very deeply about what you have to say… I wish you'd stop talking and just--"

Elphaba's lips were on Galinda's before she could finish, and Galinda giggled when Elphaba pinned her to the bed and hovered above her, grinning before capturing Galinda's lips for the second of many times to come.


End file.
